Card-punching machine



JIH. GAULT CARD PUNCHINQ MACHINE Nov. 13 1923.

Filed June 9. 1920 e Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR. wwiflm v WITNESEES. 7

Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,618

J. H. GAULT CARD PUNCHING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,618

A J. H. GAULT CARD PUNCHING MACHINE Filed June'9, 1920 e Sheets-Sheet.5

WITNESSES.

Nov. 13, 1923. 1,473,618 'J. H. GAULT I CARD PUNCHING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1920 e Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNEEEEE INVENTDR' J. H. GAULT CARD PUNCHINQ MACHINE Nov. 13, 1923.

e Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June' 9. 1920 v I N g? I, VENTUR' FIGJH 93" Nov. I3' 1923.

J. H. GAULT CARD PUNCHING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1920 @CQGG OO 000 0 OOO GOOGOOOGOOOOOOQOQ8 wwww -qggpgppoooooooooo work, the machine may be placed Patented Nov. 13,1923;

.umns meson, or rgrnnnnnrnm, rmmsvnvnm CABD-PUNGHING MACHINE.

Application filed June 9,

To all'whom it "my concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. GAmrr, a citizen of the United States, residin at the city of Philadelphia, in the county 0 Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Punching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates toa punch 7 ing machine for simultaneously making a plurality of perforations in a blank while the range or capacity-for variations of the punch control is under the selective influence of a perforated master or pattern card, though as will be hereafter shown, other automatic means of influence may replace such master card and, for some 'nds of igder the selective or governing influence of n operative.

lhe embodiment of the invention herein set forth is more particularly adapted to register on a tabulating card by means of perforations, statistical data automatically taken from another card in which such data has been reviously punched asis done in the compilation-of many forms of coercial, scientific and governmental data, such as municipal, State and national statistics, tabulation of census returns, etc.

The functions of the invention are not confined to this field alone, nor its principles 1 to the embodiment herein setv forth. The

very broad and exacting requirements of the tabulating art demand a practically uni versal card punching machine and this art is therefore best suited to illustrate the wide range andgreat flexibility of the invention.

The invention is, however, equally, applicable to any of the arts requiring card perforation, a notable example being the pro duction of perforated Jacquard loom cards. In the various ramifications of the loom card perforating art, a variety of work is required which, in the present state of that art, requires several distinct types of machines, some with cumbrous' attachments which in a limited way increase their normally narrow range. The universalrange and great flexibility of the resent invention enables it to perform al the various sorts of work done by these .difierent types of machines and also produce a great variety 1920. Serial 1%. 887,596.

of designs from a sin 1e set of pattern cards without special attac ments.

Thus in the production of jacquard cards it may be used to make the master cards themselves, and it may be used as a repeater to duplicate master cards or to punch cards with any desired-variation from the operatin master card, either by the omission or addition of any desired hole or group of holes or by an chwge in the relative positions of any 0 the holes. It will also punch the negative or reverse card and can be readily adapted to 1 unch cards underthe influence of a move le electrically conductive pattern surfane, in co-operation with contact styles or needles.

Specifically the objects of the present embodiment of the invention are to provide for automatically punching a tabulating card under the selective influence of a master card so that various itemsof data registered by perforations in the master card will be transferred to the card being punched, the relative positions of the perforations on the two cards being the same or difiering in any tit manner desired according as the data spaces printed on the two cards are similarly located or are in difierent relative arrangement; to provide for automatically selecting a desired portion only of. the data regis tered by perforations on the master card and :,registering it by perforations in any desired positions on the tabulating card, omitting" all else; to provide for registering by perforations on the tabulating card additionalor later data not perforated on the influencing master card; to provide for verilying any tabulating card punched by immediately afterward punching a complernentary card, that is, a card which has all possible perforations except those in the master card. This verification may be done either continuously or intermittently as desired; to provide for automatically selecting from a mass or stack of master cards any cup or groups of related cards and punching tabulating cards corresponding to these groups only, registering thereon all the data perforated in selected portions of such data as desired; to provide for punching a card under the selective skill of an operative reading from a written record or drawn design; to provide the required groups or only for accommodating varying sizes of master cards and any variety of grouping or pattern of arrangement of data spaces on the master card, so that such grouping may exactly correspond with or differ in any or every way from that printed on the tabulating card to be punched; to provide for con- .7 trolling the punches of the machine by a I machine.

movable, electrically conductive pattern surface co-operating with contact styles; .to provide for automatically feeding the master cards to and withdrawing them from the machine; to provide for automatically feeding the blank cards to the machine for perforation and withdrawing them after they have been punched; to provide for stacking the ta-bulating cards after their discharge from the machine.

To accomplish these ends the novel combination and arrangement of parts, improvements and original instrumentalities, which, together constitute the invention as a whole, have been evolved and are herein illustrated and described.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention. Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the upper portion of the machine by a planeindicated by 00-2: in Figure 3. Figure 3 is a corresponding front elevation with some of the parts remove and others partly cut away. These two drawings together show the novel method of arranging or grouping the magnet-s in batteries of staggered rows so that the large number of very closely grouped punches may be directly controlled by' m-agnets with little intervening mechanism. Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the principles of the electric circuit system, including some of the operating elements of the Figure 5 is a fragmentary side view of the rear end of the machine illustrating the means by whichthe electric currents are automatically shifted. Figure '6 is a side elevation of the mechanism. for feeding the blank cards to the machine and removing them therefrom after perforation.

Figure 7 is a plan view of this mechanism. Figure '2' is a detail of said mechanism. Figure 8 is a front viewof the contact board of the contact needle box or case. Figure 9 is an end elevation of the contact needle box. Figure 10 is an elevationof a portion of the rear of the machine with the attachment or device containing the contact styles used when it is desired to use the ma-. chine with a movable, electrically conductlve pattern. Figure 11 is an end view of the device shown in Figure 10. Figure 12 1s an elevation of a face of the revolving prism used in feeding the master card to the contact bo ard. Figure 13 is a sectional view of the interior of said prism by a plane indicated by is-11: in Figure 12. Figure 14 shows the method of depositing the master card in a receiving magazine as the revolving prism carries them away from the contact needle after they have operated.

The punch head of the machine keys and wires for locking the punches are of the standard form long used in most all ma-' chines for punching Jacquard loom cards by the action of a master card or pattern sheet on selectitve needles, and no originality is claimed for these particular features.

The requirements of the tabulating art,

which gave rise to the present invention,

cated attachments which require time and skill to apply. The present invention, through the novel arrangement of mechanism, between the selective needles and punch lockingrneans, is capable of enabling any selective needle to control any punch of the head so that the needles and keys may I be connected up in any variety of ways or it may be arranged to make any needle neutr-a-l or inoperative if required, thus giving the machine a flexibility and capacity not approached by the means heretofore used in the card punching art.

In the general view Figure 1, 30 denotes the main body of the machine, while the superstructure cpnsists of the, hood,'31, coverin the punch head, the outer covering, 32, of the key wire chamber and the case, 33, containing the punch controllin solenoids which extends both above and be ow the key wire chamber. The portion below the chamber extends down intothe body of t-he'ma-' chine, as indicated by dotted line, while the portion rising above the key wire chamber supports the main plug or switchboard, 9, and the auxiliary plug plate, 24. The interior of the punch head, the key wire chamber and the solenoid case are fully shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3. I

As the master cards used in the tabulating art will in general be considerably larger than the cards to be .pun'ched, the rear end of thekey wire chamber is in the present embodiment made considerably wider than ingly mounted in ways on opposite sides'of' the widened portion of the machine, one leg of the frame in each .way, as indicated in Figure 1 and Figure 3.- This frame s reram, 53, up and down to accomplish the perforation of the card. A considerable portion of this driving mechan sm is con ventional and no. claim of originality is made for it, but it is shown for the purpose of unity and clearness.

The master cards are pneumatically drawn from a horizontal stack, 45, held in a magazine, 46, and carried on the rectangular faces of a square rism, 2, to the contact board, 73, which is the face of the contact needle box, fully illustrated in Figure 8 and Figure 9. This hollow prism, 2, whose details are fully shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13, has its trunnions, journaled n the sliding frame, 34. Rigidl inounted on one of its trunnions where sai trunmonpxtends outside of its journal, is a fourtoothed ratchet, 122, acted on by a pawl, 48, carried by an arm, 49, which is mounted on the trunnion beside the ratchet and free to turn back and forth thereon. This rocking arm has pivoted to it one end of the link, 50, the other end of which is pivoted to a sliding block, 51, in 'a slide way on the side of the key wire case, and which is held back against a stop, 52, at the end of its way by a stiff spring, 123. The ob ect of this spring block is to allow a yield in the block, 51, so that the frame, 34, may be pushed back a shprt additional distanw even after the rocking arm, 49, has met its stop, which is a set screw mounted in a boss on the side of the sliding frame, 34, and located so as to meet a projection on the rocking arm, 49, to prevent further turning of sai arm when it reaches a point that properly positions the faces of the prism, 2, during the time that the frame moves outward from the body of the machine.

Placed at a suitable distanceback of the machine on a suitable support is a magazine,

46, containing the master cards, 45.; The

end of this magazine facing the machine is open. the cards which closely fit the width of the magazine are prevented from being forced out of the opencend by the presser, 47. by slight knife-edged projections, one on either side of the magazine and just within the'open end. These projections extend a very short distance over each end of the outermost card and prevent the cards from being pushed outjof the open end bythe presser, 47, which pushes the cards up against them. When the rearmost face of the, feeding prism, 2, approaches and is pressed against the outermost card, the pneumatic suction exerted on the card by the prism, means for which are shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13 and hereinafterdescribed, acting as it does near the middle of the card, the ends of said card are free to 'bend away from the prism as it leaves the magazine on its return toward the machine,'-with the middle of the card held close to the prism by suction, so that the shortening effect due to the bellying of'the card allows the ends to slip fromunder the knifelike projections and the card is carried off with the prism and the remainderof the stack comes up against the'projections and is stopped.

The sliding ram for forcing the die and card to be erforated up against'the punches is indicated by 53. At the upper end of the rain is the bolster, 5 4, to which is suitably secured the perforating die, 55, and the punch guide, and stripper, 56, fixed at a suitable distance above the die. To the bolster, 54, is also secured the frame, 57, of

scribed in detail, as is also the magazine, 59,

for receivinglof' cards as they come from the shute, 66, after perforation.

This feeding -mechanism is actuated by the cam-groove, 61, acting on the slide, 62,

and through connecting rods, 63, rocker arm,

64, and link, 65. The double lever, 66, actuated by the ca groove, 67, operates the oscillating grid-frame, 70, shown in Figure 2, to withdraw the keys. from over the punches by the arm which is connected with the link, 68. The other arm of this lever is used to operate the sliding plate, 21, Figure 3 and F ignre 4, as indicated by the drawings. In Figure 2, showing the interior of the punch head, key wire chamber and sole noids case, the arrangement of the gang of punches, 18 etc, in the head, and their looking keys, 16, 16, 16, etc, and key wires, 15,

15, 15", etc, is the same as is usual in nearly all forms of jacquard card punching machines. The punch locking keys are controlled by electromagnets of the solenoid type.

The peculiar method of arranging and grouping the solenoids, 11, 11, 11", etc., here illustrated, and made still plainer by llti reference toFigure 3, although very simple, I

is of great merit as it afiords a method of concentrating in a comparatively small-space a suflicient number of solenoids to control the locking of the numerous, closely grouped tion with a plug-board, 9, for interchanging the contact needles between the solenoids, as hereinafter explained, gives aflexibility and variety of punch control which is not ap-' proached by the machines in present use. The solenoids, 11, 11, 11", etc., are arranged in parallel groups or batteries on vertical supports or partitions, 69, 69', 69", etc., in the solenoid case, 33 extending above and below the groups of key wires. The number of these batteries of solenoids is equal to the number of horizontal layers of key wires. Each battery is made up of a number of groups of magnets, each group arranged in a straight line, as A, B, C, etc., and secured to its support at such an incline to the horizontal as is best suited to admit of each individual magnet being properly connected to its corresponding key wire by a lever without-interference, and at the same time enable the necessary number of magnets to act in a very limited space fixed by the closely grouped punches. The straight line groups or elements are arranged for space saving purposes in the staggered row, as will best be understood by reference to Figure In the present embodiment of the invention the upper horizontal layers of key wires are controlled through the levers, 14, 14, 14", etc., by the batteries in the upper part of case, 33, above the key wire chamber, one battery controlling each horizontal layer. The said levers varying in length,

each being of a length suitable to the distance of its controlling solenoid above the key wire it controls. These levers in the present embodiment are pivoted at their middle point on fulcruins which are secured to the vertical supports or partitions, 69, 69', 69", etc., in front of the solenoids to which they belong, as is clearly shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3. The lower key wires are similarly controlled by the batteries of solenoids located beneath the key wire case. This method of connecting the various solenoids and levers to the key wires is preferable for the present purpose, but I do not wish to be restricted to this system alone, as it may be varied in several ways and I espec al y reserve the right to interchange the position of the solenoids and levers on the vertical partitions or supports, 69, 69', 69", etc, so that the solenoids or magnets will be in front of the levers and thus when the said solenoids act on their levers they will cause them to withdraw the keys from over the punches and unlock instead of lock the punches, as this is 'of advantage for some purposes. Each of the solenoids, 11, 11',

11 etc., 1s wired up 1n an electriccircuit similar to that illustrated in Figure 4 and hereinafter described and explained.

In the end of the key wire chamber back of the rear support of the key wires, is a sliding frame, 70, capable of moving back and forth a distance ufiicient to withdraw the locking keys, 16, 16', 16", etc., from their forward positions and thus unlock 'the punches. This sliding frame, 70, carries a series of vertical rods, 71, equal in number to the 'vertical layers of key wires, and spaced to correspond each with one of said layers. 71 is actuated at proper intervals by the lever, 66, acting on link, 68, so as to release all punches after each perforation.

The rear end of th key wire chamber forms a nestor space for the reception of the ontact needle box, 5, a variety of which may be used as well as other contact devices. For facility .in interchanging needle boxes or contact devices a group, 72, of binding posts is provided permanently connected by suitable wires to conductive plug wires, 7, 7 7 etc., so that when it is necessary to change from-one contact device to another it is only necessary to disconnect the wires of said contact device from these binding posts, loosen the set screws, 124, and withdraw the box from the nest. The other box may then be inserted, clamped in by said set screws, and connected up to the plug wires, 7, 7 f 7 etc, by the binding posts, 72. Various needle contact "boxes may be required by differences in the size of master cards or variations in the arrangement of the data spaces of different types ofmaster cards. The needle box, 5, shown in Figure 8 and Figure 9, is of a generaltype that may be varied to meet any of the requirements above noted. In. the needle box, 5, th arrangement of needles indicated is purely arbitrary and may be varied in any way. Figure 8 shows the contact board, 73, forming the face of the box through which the nee dles, 6,6, 6", etc., project and against which the master cards ar pressed by the feeding allel to 75 and similarly secured in the frame, 5, of the needle box. Surrounding each contact needle and acting expansively between a collar, 77, on the needle and the partition, 76, is a coiled spring, 80, which presses the needle outward. The distance to which these springs, 80, can prws the needles is limited by a short pin,'78, extending out of one side of the needle and traveling length as to allow the ends of the needles to i all extend a suitable, uniform distance out beyond the surface of the contact board, 73.

'The rear side of the needle box is closed by an electricall conductive plate, 23, located just beyond the rear end of the contact needles when they are in their normal position, but which these needles nter and make contact with when they are pushed back into the face of the contact board against the action of their springs. Each of the conductive tubes,7 4, in which the needles slide, is connected tora short, conducting wire extending downward and assing through an opening in the bottom 0? the needle box and terminating in a clip for convenience in connecting the said wires to the binding post, 72, of the plug wires leadin to and cooperating with the plug or trans er board. a To accomplish certain ends previously referred to and morefully described hereinafter, it is of advantage to be able, when necessary, to have -means whereby any needle or any number of the needles maybe held in a more advanced position than nor-' mal, so that its end shall in such position extend further out in front of the contact board than the other or normally held needles, as shown in 6' and 6", Figure 9. To accomplish this each of the conductive tubes, 74, has a slot; 81, extending longitudinally from its inner end and on its opposite side "from the slot, 79, before referred to. This slot, 81, is longer than the opposite slot, 79, by an amount equal to the extra distance it I is desired to'have the contact needle extend beyond its fellows in their normal position. YVhen any one of the needles is to bechanged from its normal position to its advanced position, it is onl necessary by means of a plier or a suita le key to press it back against the spring far enough so that the pm, 78, is pushedclear out of the slot, 79, and be 0nd the inner end of the tubes, 74. The in is then turned halfway around until it meets the longer slot, 81, which will allow the spring, 80, toopen wider and extend the needle out further into the desired position.

Figure 10 shows a front elevation and F ig re 11 an end view of another formofa contacting device in position in the machine, where it may replace the contact needle box hereinbefore described, when the machine is to be adapted to work with a' movable, electrically conductive pattern, m the production of 100m cards. This device consists of a series of movable, electrically conductive styles of fingers, 82, equal num-' trically conductive ber the punches, mounted in a horizontal row, in a long extension, 84, across the frame, 83, and extending beyond its ends. This frame enters the nest or chamber of the machine and is held-therein and connected up in the same manner as the contact box previously described.

When this form of punch selecting control is used, the feeding prism, 2, and its supporting frame, 34, hereinbefore described, are removed from the machine and the conductive pattern is located on a cylinder indicated by 85 but not fully shown in Figure 11, or by other means such as those commonly used in the loom card punching art for the supporting and moving of the controlling pattern. his pattern cylinder may be revolvably mounted, in a pair of supports forming part of and extending back from either end of the extension, 84, or-

in. a special frame rigidly secured in theways on the machine'from which frame, 34,

' has been removed, and may be moved or fed the fingers down against the pattern and.

allow them to yield to inequalities therein. The plates, 88, are insulated from each other b sheets or plates of insulation, 86,

placed tween them and from the frame, 84, .by insulating plates, 89, so that the styles are completely insulated from each other. Each plate, 88, is provided with a conductive wire extending down to the bottom'of a supporting frame and provided with a clip by means of which they are each connected to its proper binding post inthe group of posts, 72.

In Figure 4, 1 represents a perforated master card placed against a movable, elecplate, 2, which isconnected by a conductlng' wire, 3, and switch,

22, to a source of electricity,.4. The conductive plate, 2, is capable of pressing thecard, 1,. up against the non-conductive support, 73, in which. is yieldingly mounted the con tact needle, 6'. This needle, 6, is connected by" a conducting plug-wire, 7, whose plug may be placed in any hole, 8, of a pluralit of holes in the transfer or switchboard, which is wired by 10 to one end of the wind ing of an electromagnet, 11. The other end of the magnet winding being connected to the source of electricity,.4, by the wire, 12. The armature, 13, of themagnet, 11, is connected to one end of a lever, 14, the otheiend Q of which is connected to a key wire,15, controlling a key, 16, sliding in a support, 17, and

capable of sliding over and locking the punch,

18, or being withdrawn so as to leave the punch, 18, free to move up and down past the end of 16. When the key, 16, is thrust outward by the lever, 14, the punch, 18, abuts against it and is locked so that a card, 19, placed on the die, 20, is perforated by the punch as the die, 20 is forced up and carries the card with it. llormally the position of the lever is vertical with the 'key'withdrawn and the punch 'unlocked, as Shown by the lever 14 and its key 16 and its punch 18*, being withdrawn from its locking position and brought to this normal position at the end of each cycle of operatins by a movable rod, .71, through a loop inthe endyof the key wire. The same mechanism that oscillates the rod, 71, also oscillates a plate, 21,

through which the punchis passed to bring t such of them as have been pushed up back to their normal position. 1

From the foregoing description it will be seen we have-an electric circuit embracing a source of electricity, 4, a movable, conductive plate, 2, an electromagnet, 11, controlling a punch, 18, and passing through a transfer or switchboard, 9, at the plug receiving hole, 8, where connection isniade with the plug wire, 7, the contact needle, 6, whose plug fits into said hole, 8, said needle being opposite the contact plate, 2, where the circuit may be intermittently opened and closed, as the plate moves up into contact with the needle or recedes therefrom. When the card is properly placed on the plate, 2, and carried up against the needle if there is a perforation in the card at a point opposite the needle it will pass through the opening in the card, make contact with the plate, 2, and close the circuit above described, thus energizing the magnet, 11, which by attracting its armature, 13, throws the lever, 14, which moves the key, 16, out into the locking position over the punch, 18, which abuts against it and is forced through the card, 19, as the die, 20, carries it up against the punch.

If there is no hole in the card at the point opposite the needle, this yieldingly mounted needle will be pushed back as the card advances, thus preventing the closing of the circuit so that no hole will be punched. It is obvious that'the contact needle, 6, could be made to control any other punch in the gang of punches by simply removing the plug of wire, 7, from the hole, 8, of the transfer board, 9, and placing it in the hole to which the magnet controlling the desired punch is wired. Also, that the needle, 6, may be made to control a plurality. of punches by connecting a plurality of plugs to the wire, 7. It is also evident that the needle may be rendered neutral or inoperaof the master card, that is, a card having all possible holes except the holes in the master card. In this case the circuit is switched from the contact plate, 2, by the switch, 22,

'to a similar but stationary conductive plate,

23, located at a suitable distance from the opposite end of thecontact needle, 6, when the latter is in its normal position, so that when the needle is pressed back by a card, 1, ,on plate, 2, it makes contact at its opposite end on plate, 23, all the 'rest of the circuit remaining as before described. In this "case when a master card having no perforation opposite needle, 6, is placed on the approaching plate, 2, it will meet the needle and press it back'into plate, 23, thus closing the circuit through this plate, the switch, 22, and the rest of the circuit as before described, energizing the magnet, 11, and causing a hole to be punched in card, 19, even though there is no corresponding hole in the controlling master card. In the case Where there is a hole opposite needle, 6, in the, card, 1, said'needle will pass through the opening a distance suflicient to prevent its being pressed back far enough to make contact with plate, 23, and no hole Willbe punched since plate, 2, is not in. circuit.

If for any reason it is desired to skip or avoid punching a card corresponding to a master'card containing holes in certain specified posit-ions, it is only necessary to bring the contact needles of these particular positions further out of the contact needle box, as illustrated by needle, 6', by simple means hereinbefore described, so that they meet the advancing mast-er card, 1, before the remainder of the needles, which remain in electrical connection and which is connected to the magnet, 26,,by the wire, 28. We have now, the switch, 22, being shifted so as to leave the conductive plate, 23, out of circuit, and bring the plate, 2, in the same circuit as was first described, and in addition thereto the secondary circuit "brought in by the means just indicated, that is, a circuit 1ncluding plate, 2, the source, 4, the switch breaking relay, 26, the plug plate, 24, and the advanced contact needle, 6, which is out on guard toprevent ant card being plug plate, 24, thus energizing the circuit breaker to open the switch, 27, and break all the circuits of the machine before the master card has met any of the normally placed contact needles, and none of the punches will function. If on the contrary there is; no hole in the master card opposite the needle, 6, said needle will be pushed back by the card, thus preventing the closure of the contact breaking circuit, and the advancing master I card finally meeting the normally positioned contact needles, the machine functions under the influence of its perforations through the chief circuits of the machine as before described. I

The means for automatically shifting the circuit by the switch, 22, to alternate be tween the movable plate, 2, and the fixed plate 23, are shown in Figure 5', where the switch 22 which is diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 4, is shown as a threearmed switch attached to a six-toothed ratchet, 114, and supported in proper position beside the sliding frame, 34, by a bracket, 116, in which it may revolve when acted upon by the pawl, 115, pivoted to the frame, 34, 'as shown. This pawl is carried back by the frame as it intermittently recedes from the machine and on its return trip engages with a tooth of the said ratchet and revolves it and the three arms of the'switch, 22, through an angle of 60 degrees. The movable plate, 2, diagrammaticailly shown in Figure 4, typifies any of slide.

the faces of the revolvable prism in Figure 5. These faces have electric communication with the switch, 22, by a tongue, 117, which is in sliding communication with the prism, 2, and extends through an opening of the side of the slide, 34, both the tongue and prism being suitably insulated from the Means for electrical communication between the plate, 23, and the switch, 22, are provided by a suitable conductive plug, 118, carried by the frame, 34, but insulated from it. It is evident from the above description municated to the ratchet by the oscillation of the frame, 34, causes the circuit to alternate between the movable faces of the prism and the fixed plate, 23.

After the circuit has been broken by the relay, 26, acting on the switch, 27, as hereinbefore described, the slide, 34, continues on its inward movement, carrying the pivoted tri ger, 119, back so that its lower end meets an slides over the upper end of the switch, 27, and drops down in front of it. As the that the revolving motion com-.

slide next recedes from its inner-position, the

trigger meets 'the upper end of the switch, which it just previously swung over, and carriesit away from its open position. The end of the switch sinks down as it moves in its arc until just as it reaches the position in which it closes the circuits, it slips from under the trigger which continues on in its movement with the frame, 34.

A side elevation of the mechanism for automatically handling the cards to be punched, both' before and after punching,

and for feeding them to the punches, is

shown in Figure 6, and a plan of the same in Figure 7. In these "iews 58 represents the receptacle or magazine in which the cards are placed before perforation. The horizontal dimensions of this container are just sufficient to fit the cards and its bottom has an opening through the middle of a width sufiicient to allow the card pusher, 91', to pass through, the cards resting on the portions of the bottom on either side of this opening. Extending across the lower extremity of the side next the punches, and opening just under the lip, 58, is a narrow slit or orifice just wide enough to admit the passage of a card. Tl'llS magazine 15 supported on a frame, 57, which is firmlysecured to and extends out in front of the bolster, 54, at the top of the ram, 53, its inner end extending over the bolster and abutting'against the die, 55. In the opposite faces of the opening of this frame, andextending longitudinally are two sets ofways, in the lower of which is mounted the sliding member, 90, in which is pivoted the card pusher, 91. The said sliding member is reciprocated to and from the die, 55, by the action of the cam-groove, 61, and slide, 62, Figure 1, acting through connecting rod, 63', the oscillating arm, 64, and link, 65. In the upper ways immediately above 90, which ex, tend beyond the inner end of frame, 57, and clear across between the die, 55, and. stripper, 56, to behind the rearmost side of the gang of punches, is mounted card carrier 92, for carrying the cards from the magazine, 58, immediately under which it moves and placing them in position for perforation. This card carrier, 92, is actuated from the motion of the slide, 90, hereinbefore described, through the medium of the two pieces, 90

and 90, secured to the top of 90, and acting on two pairs of lugs extending in from 90* and 90 are shown acting on the other pair of lugs used in pushing the card carrier,

92, under the punches. The distance through which the member, 90,.and the card pusher,

120 the pp s e Side of the card carrier, 92. I r.

' 25 the punches.

a 91, which it carries, is moved in any stroke, is greater than that which the carrier, 92, travels, by an amount D, which is just sufficient to allow' the card pusher, 91, to be 5 out in front of the magazine, 58, in position suitable for engaging with the outer edge of a card when the-rear end of the carrier, 92, which is grooved as indicated at 92 *is at rest in front of the magazine 1 in suitable position to receive the forward edge of the card into this groove as it is pushed from the bottom of the magazine by the pusher 91. As the card issues from the slit in the side of the magazine, it meets and .1 is guided by the lip, 58, before referred to,

into the slot, 92*, after traveling through the distance, D. Pivoted in the stripper, 56, and extending toward the magazine are two bent fingers, 94, one near either end of the lip,

58*, so located and arranged as tobe lifted spring .down in front of it in position to guide the card into the chute, 60, leading to the receiving magazine, 59, as it is withdrawn after perforation. As the cards issue form the chute they are received by the prongs, 95, pivoted at 96. These prongs vi- 7 brate at proper periods to carry the card up and press it into the receiving magazine,

59, as illustratedin Figure 1, where the prongs,,95, are shown pressing a card previously received into the stack against the action of presser plate, 97, which holds the stack in position and gradually recedes as the stack grows.

The construction and action of this pressing feature of the mechanism of the magazine are very clearly shown in Figure 1 and Figure 6. The cards are prevented from being ejected from the magazine when the prongs retreat by a pair of knife edged projections, 98, opposite each other on the inner sides of the magazine, be-

of the rear feeding mechanism, consisting of the means for controlling the pnuematic hind which the ends of the cards snap'as they are pressed therein by the prongs, 95.

The prongs are. brought to their open or inclined position by a spring not shown, and receive their closing movement to press the cards into the stack by the motion of the 5 ram, 53, as it moves up in the act of perfoiating the cards. This motion of the ram is communicated to the prongs by link, 99, pivoted to the bolster, 54, and acting through the. levers, 100 and 191, a slot in the bottom of the link being arranged so that the levers are acted upon by the link durin only a fraction of the stroke of the ram. The complete cycle of operation of this feeding and ejecting mechanism is as follows: The ram,-

53, being down, the card puscher, 91, being valves and interior chambers.

just in front of the outer edge of the bottom card in the magazine, 58, the sliding member, 90, being in its outermost position, and the rear end of the card carrier, 92, just under the edge of the guiding lip, 58, as shown in Figure 6, the motion is started by the cam-groove, 61, acting through the mechanism hereinbefore indicated, and the sliding member, 90, moves toward the magazine, 58. At the beginning of this motion, the pusher, 91, meets the edge of the lower card in the magazine and pushes it through the ori fice under the lip, 58', which guides it down to the slot, 92, in the carrier, 92, which remains motionless until just as the edge of the card enters the slot, the parts 90 and 90 which have left the outer pair of lugs on 92, meet the inner pair and thereby start the carrier, 92, to move back over the die, the pusher, 91, moving the card, and the parts 90 and 90 moving the carrier, 92, so that they travel together over the die, 55. The displacement of 92 having released the fingers, 94, they spring down on the card and slip. over it and down in front of its outer edge as it approaches the position of rest for perforation. l/Vhen the card reaches its final position, a long dwell in the camgroove, 61, allows it to remain stationary a suflicient time for the ram to complete the upward motion necessary for perforation and to start down again ufliciently to clear the punches before the retreating member, 90, carries the parts, 90 and 90 back against the outer pair of lugs and starts the carrier forward to eject the card just perforated. Just as the ram approaches its highest position in the act of perforating, the prongs, 95, are actuated by the link, 99, and levers 100 and 101, as before indicated and the card previously perforated is snapped into the magazine, 59, As the ramsinks to its lower position a fraction of the motion is suflicient to release the levers, 100 and 101, so that the spring returns the prongs to their open position ready to receive the card as it is carried'down the chute.

The details of the interior of the prism features used in holdingthe card against the prism, are shown in Figure 12, which is an elevation of one of the rectangular faces cut away so as to show the valves and means for controlling them. The section shown in Figure 13 by plane ww, Figure 12, perpendicular to the axis, showing the- This prism is mounted in the sliding frame, 34. The faces of the prism are all electrically conductive .and provided with-suitable means for most effectively making contact with the selective needles of the machine. A suitable space in the middle of the interior, enclosed by the walls or partitions, 102 and 103, located at a distancefrom the ends of.

the prisms,- is subdivided into five pneumatic chambers. The central interior chamber, 0', from which the air may be exhausted through apipe passing from the end of this cylindrical chamber, 0, and through the wall, 102, and the adjacent trunnion, and opening into a hose, 130, at the gland nipple, 105', through which the air may be drawn by an air pump or other exhausting means suitably located, and four outer chambers, C C, C and C,

from each other by the radial walls, 104,

and enclosed also by the walls, 105 parallel in ways and pressed down toward theia seats by coiled springs as shown.

These valves, 107 are opened against the action of their springs by rods,'108 These rods slide through holes in the frames in which the valves are mounted, passing also through slots in the valve stems and through openings in the wall, 102, at which points they support other valves, 109-, whose seats are formed in these openings 1n the wall,

102, and extend from them on through holes in the end of the prism beyond which they project a suitable distanceand end in rounded buttons or heads, 112, as shown in Figure 12. Atthe inner ends where they slide through the valve stem and support, these rods, 108, are provided with, keys or feath ers, 110, whose'ends form inclined planes 110, into the slots in so the v'alves, approach the lowest point in where they enter the valve stems.

Around each rod is a coiled spring, 111, acting expansively between the valves, 109, and the adjacent supports of the valves, 107. These springs act to press the valves, 109, into their seats in the wall raise these valves from their seats and allow communication between the central chamber,

0, and-the outer chambers, G G etc. The rounded heads, 112, will then be in their outermost position. This is the normal condition, the valves, 107 being normally opened, and 109 being-normally closed. 'As the prism, 2, is turned on its trunnion, an

the heads, 112," on the rods which control their revolution they successively meet the cam, 113, which is adjustably secured to an extension projecting down on the *frame,i

As the headon the controls the valve'of' e" chamber which is separated of 1.02 and at the same time by drawing the inclined feathers, the stems of valves, 107,

features hereinbefore given. operated under the continuous attendance'of articular-,rod whichi approaching the lowest position, meets the cam 1t 1S-'f016d in against the spring, 111,

soas to open the valve, 109, and at the same time push the feather, 110, out of the stem of 107, and this valve is closed, thus cutting this lowest chamber oil from the central suction chamber and allowing air to enter it From the foregoing through ,valve 109. description it will be seen that when the means for exhausting'the air act through a hose, 130, the air is withdrawnfromthe able position on the prism faces, to be pressed against the contact needles. As the card recedes from the contact board after having met 1t, the prism' revolves as hereinbefore indicated, so that the card last operating on the needles approaches the horizontal on the lower face, of the prism. During this motion the head, 112, on the rod, 108, controlling the valve of the suction chamber behind the card, approaches and meets the cam, 113, and the rod forced in so that during the motion the valve, 107 is closed and the valve, 109, open,

thus cutting off the suction and admitting air to the chamber so that the card is re leased at the same. time as its projecting edge meets a suitably formed extension, 121, Figure 14, on the rear side of the vertical receptacle, 120, into which the cards are discharged frrom the prism, as is clearly shown in the drawing, Fig. 14. v

The method of operation of the various individual mechanisms which, in combination constitute the invention as a whole, have for clearness and convenience been herein-, before indicated in connection with their foregoing detailed descriptions. Owing to its wide range and the it may be used, the invention as a whole may be operated in several ways according to the 3 nature of the work required of it. Three understood when taken in connection with the method of operation of the individual an operative, whose duties consist in prop erl inserting the plugs at the transfer or swltchboard so as to select and lock the proper punches. to ments of a written record or drawn pattern under the eye of the operative.

various arts in which '1st-It may be conform to the require- This is the/ method used in producing mastercards. 2nd-It ma be made to operate entirely automatical y under the selective influence of perforated master cards with only cocasional attendance, in which case one 0 erative is sufficient to attend aplurality o machines. .3rd,It ma be made to operate antomatically under t e selective influence of a movable pattern,- whose surface consists of electrically conductive portions and nonconductive portions. In the tabulating art the data will often be gathered from its original sourceand registered onsheets or duction of jacquard cards the original or-.

' tion of duplicates.

cards in written form instead of being perforated on printed cards. -Also, in the pronamental designs are drawn or painted and from'these as uides cards are suitably perforated to con orm to the design and these cards are used subsequently in the produc- When the invention is used for this kind of work nomaster cards are used, the selective capacity of the Ina-- chine being governed by-the operative vworking at the transfer board with the plugs. In

this case the plugs are first all removed from the board. The plugs and holes are numbered or otherwise marked or named according to a scheme or system understood by the operative and forming an index of the relation between various items of data and the positions they are to occupy on the perforated tabula'ting cards, or in the case of jacquard cards a relation between the pictured design and the requiredholes in the master card to be punched. After all-commiini'cation between the selective needles and the solenoids has been broken by the retured design, as the case ma are exhausted, no other-plugs are inserted, so. that all circuits except the required ones remain open and the machine is now in condition to punch all the required holes in a card inserted under the punches. If the machine isv now started, a card will automaticall be-fed tothe punches by the forward fee ing mechanism. A face of the conductive prism will be pressed against the con ductive needles, thus closing the circuits which have been plugged in and-locking the corresponding 'punchesl The ram now being forced up perforates the card, whichis then automatically withdrawn by .the card handling mechanism, all of which operation has been hereinbefore described in detail. From I the above description it will be seen that the operative has 'opportunitfyy to insure accuing work at racy by revising or veri the In board before punching the card. It

tion to the one built into it, and at a distance from it, so that two or more operatives may be simultaneously employed in plugging patterns or data. These boards may be placed in, any suitable location and positioned -.either vertically or horizontally in the form "of a desk or table for the conven ience of the operative. The various wires of each of the sets ofplugs corresponding to the respective boards may all be brought together in the form of a cable where they approach themachine and suitable means provided for switching them in and out of,

the circuit altogether at a convenient point thereln. During the time the operative is engaged in plugging in a pattern his setof plu wires will be switched off the machine so t at the machine may be used by others. In the second method of operation, nam'ely,

where the machine operates under the selective influence of a perforated master card,

the stack of influencing master cards whichhave been previously perforated either by the machine itself, as hereinbefore described, in the first method, or in any other way, is placed in the magazine, 46, at the rear of the machine, .and a corresponding stack of blank cards to be perforated under the selective influence of said master card, is placed in the magazine, 58, of the punch feeding mechanism. A contact needle box suitable for the particular work in hand being placed in the chamber of the machine and any needle adjustments, if such are called for, being made in the manner hereinbefore described. The plugs are then in-- serted in the switchboard in the particular arrangement called for by the nature of the work being performed. After the machine is thus set up and started, its operation is entirely automatic. The rear feeding mechanism applying the master cards successively against the contact needles and then discharging them into the magazine 120. Simultaneously with the approach 0 a master card to the contact needles at the rear of the machine, a blank card is removed from its magazine, 58, by the forward feeding mechanism and suitably placed under the punches, as hereinbefore described: When the master card is pressed up against the needles it acts selectively on them in accordance with the location or arrangementof its perforations, allowing I and placed the necessary electrical contacts to energize those magnets which will look the proper punches and preventing all others. The ram, 53, then ascends and perforates the blank card, which afterwards is Withdrawn in the magazine, 59, as the ram descends. The whole operation being entirely automatic so that only occasional attendance is required.

The third method of operation is that in which the means of influence for selectively locking the punch-es is a movable pattern, portions of whose surface are electrically conductive and other portions non-conductive. This is a pattern method commonly used in the production of jacquard cards, and the means of applying the pattern to and feeding it under the contact styles are not specially described as no originality is claimed in these features, any of those in common use being available, it being merely here desired to show that the invention may be readily adapted to such pattern means. In this method of operation the rear magazine and master card feeding device are removed and replaced by a revolving cylinder, as hereinbefore indicated, and the contact styles shown in Figure 10 are placed in the chamber of the machine.

the forward magazine, 58, and fed to the punches as in the previous methods of operation. In this method the action of the machine is completely automatic and similar to that of the second method of operation except in the difference of the selective influencing means as above indicated.

The invention herein set forth may also be used to directly control the needles of a jacquard mechanism while Weaving in the same manner as it locks punches for punching cards, and I reserve theright to make such application of it. "What I do claim as m invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is t-* 1. In a card punching machinethe combination of a gang of punches and co-operating mechanism, keys for locking the punches, electromagnets for operating said keys, conductive contactneedles for selectively controlling said electromagnets, movable conductive plate cooperating with said needles to make contact, pattern means acting between and limiting the extent of the electrical contact of said plate with said needles, means for interchanging the said needles among the saidmagnets.

2. In a machine of the character specified the combination of a lurality of punches and co-operating. per orating mechanism,

means for locking and unlocking the punches individually, electromagnetic means for 1ndividually actuating the punch locking means to lock the punches in operative position, means for selectively energizing the units The cards; I to be perforated are as before placed in actuating means so that any unit of the 'punches in operative position,

' influence of a former may be made to control any unit of the latter, means for automatically feeding blanks to the punching mechanism, means for removing and receiving blanks from punches after perforation.

3. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a, plurality of punches and co operating punching mechanism, means for locking and unlocking the punches individually, electromagnetic means for individually actuating the said pune h locking means for locking the punches in operative position, means for selectively energizing the difi'erent units of the said magnetic means under the selective influence of perforated master or pattern cards, means for automatically applying said perforated pattern cards so as to suitably influence the operation of the said magnetic means to lock the proper punches and prevent the locking of any others in any given case, means for interchanging the units of the said selectively energizing means among the units of said magnetic former may be made to control any unit of the latter, means for automatically feed ing blanks to the punches and Withdrawing same therefrom after perforation.

4- In a machine of the character specified the combination of a gang of punches and co-operating punching mechanism, means for locking and unlocking the punches, electroinagneticv means for individually actuating the said punch locking means, means for selectively energizing the various units of the said magnetic-means through the selective skill of an operative, taneously performing a card by the punches selectively locked, means for automatically feeding cards to the punching mechanism and removing them therefrom after perforation, the cards as they are discharged from the machine. i

5. In a machine of the character specified a plurality of punches and co-operatin punching mechanism, means for locking an unlocking the punches magnetic means for actuating the said punch locking. means so as to lock the selectively energizing the various units of the said magnetic means under the selective pattern sheet or surface means for interchanging the units of said selective energizing means among the units of said magnetic actuating'mcans so that any unit of-the former may be made to control any unit of the latter, means for automeans for simul means for automatically stacking individually, electrov means for matically feeding the blanks to the punching mechanism and withdrawing them therefrom after perforation, means for receiving and automatically stacking the cards after withdrawal from the machine.

6. In a punching machine the combination of a plurality of punches and'co-operating punching mechanism, means for locking and unlocking the punches individually, electromagnetic means for individually actuating the punch locking means, a plurality of electrically conductive contact needles or other contact means, a movable, electrically conductive surface for making and breaking contact with the needles to intermittently energize the punch locking means, a pat term means for selectively influencing the means for moving the conductive contact surface plate relatively to the contact needles, means for automatically feeding cards to the punches, means for automatically withdrawing cards from the punches after perforation.

7. In a machine of the character specified the combination of a plurality of punches and co-operating punching mecha-' nism, means for-locking and unlocking the punches individually, electromagnetic means for individually actuating the punch locking means, a plurality of conductive contact needles, a movable, electrically conductive, surface for making and breaking the contact with said needles intermittently, pattern means for selectively determining the extent of contact between said needles and said surface, a plurality of similar electric circuits, each consisting of suitable connections for and including a source of electricity, an electromagnet, one of the selective needles and the movable conductive surface, means for'interchange so that any contact needle may be changed from any given circuit to any other circuit of the said system of circuits, means for adapting any contact needle to control a plurality of magnets, means for taking any contact needle out of circuit entirely, means for automatically changing the pattern or selective influencing means so that one pattern may follow another and successively 'in-' fluence the locking of different sets of punches, means for automatically feeding cards to the punching mechanism and withdrawing them therefrom after perforatipn.

8. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of a plurality of punches and co-operating punching mechanism, means for locking and unlocking the punches, electromagnetic means for individually actuating the punch locking means, means for selectively energizing the different units of the said magnetic actuating means, means for interchanging the units of the said selective energizing means among the units of the said magnetic actuating means so that any unit of the former may be madeto act on any unit of the latter, means for suitably influencing the selective means to energize the corresponding magnetic control to lock the proper punches,

means for automatically feeding cards to the punching mechanism and withdrawingthem therefrom after perforation, means for automatically stacking the cards as theyare discharged from the machine.

9. In a machine of the character specified the combination of a plurality of punches and co-operating perforating mechanism,

means of interchange whereby any one of the contact styles may be switched from the control of the electromagnet in any given circuit to the control of a similar magnet in any other circuit in the system'of circuits, means for taking any contact style or finger out of circuit entirely,.means for locking the punches in operative condition, means for automatically feeding blanks to the punching mechanism and removing same therefrom after perforation.

10. In a machine of the character specified the combination of a gang of punches With co-operating punchin mechanism, keys for lockin with ey wires attached to the keys for shifting them, said wires being regularly arranged in horizontal and vertical planes; a plurality of electromagnets equal in number to the key wires arranged and supported in groups or batteries in parallel vertical planes spaced at regular intervals along. the key wires and perpendicular thereto, the

the punches 1n operative positions individual magnets being located in the said 1 coupled, each to its corresponding key wire with a mlnimum of intervening mechanism,

tances between blank cards to the ,bination of a operating punc of levers equal in number to the key wires, each lever being coupled at one end to the armature of a magnet and at the other end with the key. wire corresponding to said magnet, said leversbeing of varying lengths to accommodate the difi'erent (11sthe key wires and their corresponding magnets and fulcrumed so as to all have the same throw, a plurality of electrically conductive contact needles yieldingly a plurality ,mounted, a movable electrically conductlve plate for maklng and breaking contact with said needles, means for moving said plate up against and away from said needles, a plurality of similar electric circuits, each embracing through suitable wiring a source of electricity the movableconductive plate one of the contact needles, one of the electromagnets and a switch or plug board, a pl rality of plugs fitting suitab e openings in said. plug board, each plug being wired to one of the contact needles, means for unlocking the punches, means for automatically feeding perforated pattern cards to the movable conductive plate and removing them therefrom, means for automatically feeding punches and removing them therefrom after perforation, means for automatically receiving and stacking the cards as they are discharged from the machine. I

11. In a card punching machine the comluralityof punches and coing mechanism, keys equal in number to the punches for locking said punches in operative position, key wires attached to the keys and arran edarallel to eachother in a series of para el, horizontal lanes vertically above each other, a plurality of electromagnets or solenoids equal keys and arranged in a sein number to the ries of batteries 1111 parallel vertical planes perpendicular to the hey wires and spaced at intervals along the hey wires, the individual solenoids of any battery being connected each to its respective key wire in the horizontal plane of wires corresponding to the said battery, a plurality of levers, each being connected to the armature of a magnet and the other end coupled to the key wirecorresponding to said magnet, the levers bein of varying lengths to accommodate the di erent distances between the magnetg and their corresponding wires and so fulcrumed as to move'the keys all the same to and insulated from'each distance when actuated-by the magnet. a movable conductive plate or surface capable of accommodating a perforated pattern card, a plurality of electrically conductive contact needles yieldingly mounted parallel other in a case or to be readily remeans @or replacframe of such design as moved from the machine,

one end of mg another of difierent type or capacity, means for moving the contact plate to co-operate with the contact needles intermittently, a switchboard and plugs, a plurality of similar electric circuits each embracing through suitable connections a sourceiof electricity, the movable contact plate or surface, one or the openings of the plug or switchboard, one of the contact needles, a plug and one of the elcctromagnets, means for unlocking the punches, means for automatically feeding perforated pattern cards to the movable contact plate, means for automatically feeding blank cards to the punching mechanism.

12. In a card punching machine the combination of a plurality of punches and 00- operating punching mechanism, means for locking the punches, a plurality of electromagnets suitably arranged and connected for actuating the punch locking means individually, a movable electrically co'nduc tive surface capable of suitably holdin a master or pattern card or'sheet, a plurality of electrically conductive contact needles yieldingly mounted in a case, box or frame parallel to and insulated from each other in said case or framea and with their forward ends projecting a uniform distance out from their support in a position to cooperate with the movable conductive plate, a fixed conductive plate secured to the baclr of the said frame or box in which the selective needles are mounted in such position that the rear ends of the needles do not meet the said fixed plate when in their norone typeof contact needles or styles by 7 mal position but so located that when the plate, a plurality of similarelectric circuits,

each embracing through suitable connections a source of electricity, one of the electromagnets, the movable conductive plate, one of the contact needles and a switchboard by means of which the various contact needles may be interchanged from one circuit to another, means fcr automatically switching the movable metallic plate out of circuit and replacing it therein by the fixed conductive plate.

13. In a machine of the character specified the combination of a plurality of punches, suitable die and- 'co-operating punching mechanism, means for simultaneously lockingthe punches, a plurality of solenoids suitably arranged and connected for operating the punch locking means individually, a movable metallic plate or series (if plates capable of suitably holding a perforated master or pattern card, a plurality of metallic selective contact needles yieldingly mounted in a box or frame,

"parallel to and insulated from each other,

meet and make contact with the said fixedq Elli) with ends projecting a uniform distance out from the box or case in position to meet and co-operate with the movable metallic and card than when in their normal posi-' tions, a switchboard and plugs for interchanging the contact needles between the various circuits and solenoids, a series of similar primary electric circuits, each including through suitable connections a source of electricity, :1 selective contact needle, an opening in the switchboard, a plug,a

solenoid and the movable, metallic plate, a secondary or auxiliary circuit embracing through suitable connections the source of electricity, the movable, conductive plate, a

switch which opensto break all circuits and a magnet capable of opening said switch, a secondary. switch or plug plate to which the conductive plugs of the advanced needles may be transferred from the primary board, means for automatically closing the said circuit breaking switch, means for automatically moving the card carrying contact plate to and from the contact needles.

14. Ina card punching machine the combination of a plurality of punches and cooperating punching mechanism, means for locking the punches individually, a plurality of electromagnets or. solenoids for actuating the punch locking means to individually lock the punches in operative positions, a pluralityof conductive needles or styles for making suitable, electric contact so that each may thereby close an electric circuit to energize one of the said electromagnets, a movable, electrically conductive surface or plate suitable for co-operating with the conductive needles so as to 010% electro circuits of the aforesaid electromagnets, a plurality of similar electric circuits, each embracing in suitable con-- nections a source of electricity, th movable conductive surface,- one of the convtact needles and one of the electromagnets, means for interchanging the conductive needles among the various circuits of the aforesaid system of circuits so that any contact needle may be removed from the control of a given' magnet and placed in control of any other magnet in the system, means for taking any contact needle or needles out of circuit so that any number of punches may thereby be rendered inoperative during the functioning of the mach ne, a secondary or auxiliary electric circult embracing the Source ofelectricity, the movable conductiv plate, a switch which opens to break all circuits and an electromagnet capable of opening said switch, a conductive plug plate by means of which any of the contact needles may be brought into the secondary circuit after being cut out of the aforesaid system of primary circuits, means for displacing the contact needles from their normal positions and so conditioning them as to make contact with the movable conductive plate in a manner suitable to close the secondary circuit, energize the aforesaid switch opening magnet and thereby break all circuits, means for automatically closing the said circuit breaking switch, pattern means for acting selectively between the contact needles and the movable conductive platefto allow the closing of suitable circuits to lock the punches proper in any given case and preventing all others.

15. In a card punching machine the combination of a plurality of punches and corresponding die with co-operating punching mechanism, keys and key wires corresponding in number to the punches, each key being suitably arranged to lock its corresponding punch, a plurality of solenoids, each of which is connected with a corresponding key to lock a punch, a plurality of metallic selectiveneedles corresponding in number with the solenoids, a movable conductive "plate, .a perforated master card or other means of selectively influencing the punch locking solenoid through action on the needles automatically, a plurality of similar electric circuits equal in number to the solenoids formed of suitable conductors and properly arranged so'as to each embrace a solenoid, a selective needle. the movable conductive plate and a source of electricity, means for interchanging the said contact needles between the various electric circuits of the system of said similar circuits so that any selective needle may be placed in circuit with any solenoid, means for leaving any needle or any solenoid out of circuit," means for automatically cutting the movable conductive plate out of the circuits and replacing it therein by a suitable fixed conductive plate, means for locking the punches, means for feeding cards to the machine auto- .matically, means for discharging cards from the machine automatically.

16. In a card punching machine the combination of a gang of punches, a suitable die and co-operating punching mechanism, means for locking the punches, electromagnetic means for actuating the punch locking means, means for selectively energizing electromagnetic punch locking means. means for interchanging the units of the said selectively energizing means among the units of the said magnetic means, perforated pattern means'for suitably influencing the selective means to energize the corresponding magnetic control, blank card feeding means embracing a frame extending hori- 

